Boris backs Toby Young as the ‘ideal man’ for universities watchdog role
Columnist accused of a lack of experience is praised for his ‘caustic wit’ by the Foreign Secretary
BORIS JOHNSON has backed the appointment of Toby Young to the board of the new universities regulator, claiming the controversial columnist is the “ideal man” for the job.
The appointment of Mr Young, a free schools pioneer, as one of 15 board members of the new Office for Students prompted a backlash as critics questioned his suitability and whether he had the requisite experience.
But Mr Johnson came to Mr Young’s defence, attacking the “ridiculous outcry” that had followed the announcement. The Foreign Secretary tweeted: “He will bring independence, rigour and caustic wit. Ideal man for job.” Mr Young also received the backing of Michael Gove, the Environment Secretary, as well as numerous prominent Conservative backbenchers.
Mr Gove said Mr Johnson was “quite right” to support Mr Young as he asked: “How many of Toby Young’s critics have worked night and day to provide great state schools for children of every background?”
Mr Gove said Mr Young had helped “set up great comprehensive schools bringing academic excellence to all” and that the UK needed “intellectual diversity in the education debate”.
Meanwhile, Priti Patel, the former international development secretary, offered her support and said Mr Young had “helped thousands of children” to “aim high” and offered a “valued voice in education”.
Mr Young defended his appointment as he said that his apparent lack of experience in the university sector “doesn’t disqualify me from serving on the Office for Students’ board”.
He also suggested that he had been targeted by critics simply because he was a Conservative.
Mr Young said “for some people that alone is enough to disqualify me” but that such a stance was “plainly nonsense”. Some social media users accused Mr Young of making inappropriate remarks online in the past. He said he regretted previously making some “sophomoric and silly” comments.
However, he suggested some of his remarks had been “deliberately misinterpreted” in an attempt to show him as “a caricature of a heartless Tory toff ”.
Mr Young is an associate editor of The Spectator magazine – a publication that Mr Johnson previously edited.